China Expects Rocket Debris To Hit South China Sea, Issues Warning

The China Maritime Safety Administration has issued a warning regarding the expected fall of rocket remnants into the South China Sea on Tuesday. This comes after the launch of the rocket, a Long March 5, from Hainan’s Wenchang site about eleven days ago.

What Happened: According to Reuters on Tuesday, the rocket debris is likely to fall into the sea off Hainan’s coast between 11:00 AM and noon local time. It is common for such debris to disintegrate in the atmosphere upon re-entry.

The Long March 5, which marked its sixth launch with this mission, has been used previously for significant tasks such as launching China’s Mars probe and modules of its space station. The recent mission successfully deployed a “high-orbit optical remote sensing satellite,” with no public images available yet, leading to speculation about its purpose.

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In the past, the Long March 5B’s launch in 2021 caused global concern due to the uncertainty of where the debris would land. Previously, in 2020, debris from a similar launch caused damage in the Ivory Coast.

Why It Matters: The news comes at a time when relations between China and the U.S. are experiencing a thaw, with military officials from both countries reestablishing communication after a year-long hiatus.

However, tensions remain over territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Earlier in the month, China accused a U.S. naval vessel of severely infringing its sovereignty and security in the region.

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